Notes: Wow, third chapter. I never even plotted this far, so I had to rewrite parts of this chapter a few times. I was hoping foe a dramatic ending, but I chickened out at the end, and just went with what I have. Oh well, enjoy.
Warning: M/M
Disclaimer: Yes, Naruto isn't mind. No need to rub it in.
Breathe Iruka, Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. . . . . . IN! Iruka knew that any ninja worth their forehead protect could hear his labored breathing. But he couldn't help it. Things like this didn't happen to ordinary, run-of-the-mill ninja like him. Of course, no elite ninja would get caught in a situation like this either. . . So what did that make him? Somewhere in between? Or did fate just plain hate him?
Iruka! Pull yourself together, if you keep this up, you'll look even stupider. He shouted these words inside. Forcing himself to get up, he had to get up, dress himself quickly and go back out there. If he apologized enough, maybe Kakashi wouldn't ask why, he'd slammed the door in his face. He looked around, glad to find his hair tie where he had discarded it by the door. Pulling his hair into a quick ponytail, he undid and redid his buttons with speed, that would have made any ninja mother proud.
As a after thought, he rushed into the kitchen, and splashed water onto his face, the bathroom was too far, so this would have to do. He practically ran back to the door. And then took a deep breathe, trying to compose himself. He opened the door slowly, feeling heat coloring his face, despite his best efforts. Kakashi was still there, after all Iruka had only been gone for like five minutes. (Although it felt like longer to Iruka.)
Iruka looked at Kakashi, blinked once, twice. And then looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with Kakashi. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-Sensei. . .did you. . .need something" He rushed forward, hoping he would follow his lead and avoid Iruka's moment of insanity. Kakashi stood there. Iruka huffed. Kakashi stood there.
Iruka waved a hand infront of his face. Kakashi stood there. Iruka trapped him on the shoulder. Kakashi still stood there.
Iruka waited a full sixty seconds, before he decided something was wrong and he bodily pulled the nin inside. Surprised by the fact the the taller man put up so much reluctance, he'd seemed practically comatose a few minutes ago. He closed the door behind them, feeling panic rushing into his chest. There was something wrong with Kakashi!
"Maybe I should take you to see, Tsunade-Sama?" The change was instant in Kakashi, he seemed to snap back to reality, and there was a look of anger in his . . .eye.
"No! she did this to me, it's her fault I'm like this" Iruka blinked at him, torn between asking, like what, or hunting down Tsunade herself and demanding an explanation. Instead, he decided it was best to wait for Kakashi to continue his rant.
Rant? Kakashi didn't rant? Did he? No, the elite jounin was many things, but he certainly wasn't a ranter. Or, at least, not to someone he barely knew.
The thought made his heart pang. That was true, Kakashi barely knew him. So why was he here, spewing random nonsense about the Hokage. "Kakaish . . .sensei" He added the formality as a after thought, and found himself blushing again. Damn his, inability to control such basic impulses. What kind of ninja was he!? "What happened?" Iruka continued.
To his surprise, Kakashi started explaining, with a speed that rivaled Naruto's ramen eating.
Kakashi entered Tsunade's office with his usual lazy kind of walk. He bowed to the woman, and waited. She had invited him here, something about his latest mission report being not only late, but in dire need of reconstruction. He sighed inaudibly and waited. and waited, and waited. Finally Tsunade seemed to take notice of him, although she had to have know he was their, having beckoned him in only moments earlier.
"Kakashi, we really need to work on this negligence attitude you have towards time." Kakashi grinned sheepishly under his mask, many people had tried. All had failed.
"Your dedication to the village isn't being questioned here, but. . ." She paused, for emphasis or to gather her thoughts no one was sure. "Drastic action needs to be taken" Kakashi frowned at her, drastic action? he thought feeling dread and panic building up inside him. She had that smile on her face, that glint in her, that any ninja who had any interaction with her meant trouble. Big Trouble. She rose, and grabbed two bottles of sake. She threw him one.
Instinctively he caught it, and sniffed it carefully. It smelt normal. . .
Tsunade was watching him out of the corner of her eyes, and laughed. "Oh come on Kakashi don't be paranoid just drink it" So he did, Tsunade looked away discreetly and
he rapidly pulled down his mask, drank it and had it up within seconds. It tasted, well, like sake. He sighed in relief and saw that Tsunade was looking at him with amusement.
"You've got to hand it to me, I know how to make medicine without taste" Kakashi's eyes snapped out to glare at her. . . He wipped up his headband, staring at the bottle with his sharingan. It was covered with the green aura of Tsunade's chakara.
"What did you do?" He asked, his voice becoming frigidly cold, not showing the burning anger (and possibly fear) within him.
Tsunade grinned, "Oh, nothing dear, just a little truth serum, you can only tell the truth until it wears off. "
Kakashi blinked. He felt his hands itching to perform his lightning edge, the seals were already in his mind, he could make them before she even noticed.
"Now Kakashi, first question. . ." Kakashi eyes widened in panic, without thinking his hands made rapid seals, and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Leaving behind a smirking Tsunade, he'd never be late with another report. She was sure of it. . .
Kakashi wasn't sure where to go, if he went home, someone might show up. He didn't want all his secrets coming out. He had to go somewhere no one would find him. And to someone who wouldn't ask questions. Iruka? . . . Yes, Iruka was perfect. He was never interested in Kakashi, always in Naruto and the rest of the team, if he got to his apartment he could explain what was going on, and ask for a place to hamper down until it wore off. That would work.
Kakashi was outside, jumping from roof-top to roof-top making his way to where, he thought Iruka's apartment, MIGHT be. He was pretty sure he'd seen Naruto come this way, many a time. So it was either the way to Iruka's house, or to a illegal ramen shop. He hoped it was the former.
Suddenly, Kakashi felt his body collapse mid jump, years of training was the only thing that allowed him to land safely on a banister. He hopped off and looked at the door, this was the . .. place? Right?
Why was everything spinning? It's pretty this way. Kakashi was having a bad reaction to whatever Tsunade had given him, whatever it was, he was gonna kill her when this was over. Assuming he got out of this alive.
Iruka nodded, Kakashi had just finished giving him an abridged version of the nights events. Iruka felt terribly sorry for the man, but couldn't help but feel a shiver of anticipation. He could ask Kakashi anything, and he'd have to tell him the truth. Like, why do you cover your face? Are you into guys? . . .Are you into me? This and various other questions flew around the teacher's head. He didn't know where to start.
And the biggest question was for himself, did he want to know how Kakashi felt about him? He opened his mouth, preparing to ask something, consequences be damned when he heard a thunk.
Kakashi had collapsed. As in, total faith, knock out, passed out on Iruka's floor collapsed.
Iruka sighed, and picked him up, it wasn't easy, and if he wasn't a ninja he wouldn't have been able to. But, he managed to get Kakashi all the way to his bed. He placed him unto it and stepped back. He watched him, he wouldn't wake up for a while. . . Iruka lay down next to him, his fingers itching to reach over and pull down the mask. 'Who would know' the evil side of Iruka whispered.
Iruka shook his head, he wouldn't do it, he pulled the covers over both of them, looked at the body lying next to his and cursed himself for being too weak to go outside to the couch. He watched Kakashi sleep for a while, and then finally, he closed his eyes. Kakashi shifted in his sleep (or whatever you want to call it) closer to Iruka, and wrapped a arm around him.
You know, when I said I wanted one night, in Kakashi's arms this wasn't what I meant, so it doesn't count! The little voice came back to whisper, 'you should be more careful with those wishes.'
